


Stay (despite all the reasons you have to go)

by AnaGP



Category: Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe- Shifters, Animal Shifters, Domestic, Fluff, Getting Together, Love, M/M, Shifters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-15
Updated: 2017-07-15
Packaged: 2018-12-02 10:55:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11507955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnaGP/pseuds/AnaGP
Summary: How Rhodey and Tony got together in an animal shifter AU.





	Stay (despite all the reasons you have to go)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Its_Just_Chemistry](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Its_Just_Chemistry/gifts).



> For Its_Just_Chemistry because we are celebrating our first friendaniversary!  
> I hope you like this, I made it will all the love in my heart. Thank you for all your kindness and support, I am incredibly lucky to have someone like you in my life. You are my conductor of light, my beacon of hope.  
> Ana

The tiger snarled at the pigeon that approached it; it was early morning and the non-shifter birds were fluttering about. The tiger stretched his front legs and growled warningly at the garter snake that approached him, making it hiss and retreat. Flicking his tail, the beast stood; a brown bear approached the tiger, easily falling into step with it as it walked through the streets of New York.

In the blink of an eye, the tiger morphed back into a human and Anthony Edward Stark, genius, (ex-?)playboy, philanthropist, sauntered back into his building, he was petting the soft fur of the 8-feet brown bear next to him and muttering curses under his breath. Once inside the freight elevator, the bear shifted back into his human form, revealing Rhodey.

"Tones," he said, just as the doors opened in Tony's workshop.

"Drop it, Rhodes."

"Tony, please."

“Just drop it.”

“Tony-”

The engineer slammed his hands on a nearby desk and let out a guttural growl. “What do you want me to say? That I was wrong? That it was a mistake?”

“Ton-”

The genius hunched his shoulders, he could feel the tiger inside roaring and he fought back against the urge to shift. “I get it, platypus, alright? I messed up.” As he said that, he pushed a whole stack of papers into the waste basket next to the desk. “There was no way someone like that would _ever_ want me.”

“Tony…” Rhodey opened his arms and the engineer caved in and buried his nose on the other’s chest.

“I was an idiot…” Tony whined in distress and Rhodes tightened his hold on him. “This is the last time-” The engineer stopped and stood, taking a few steps back and away from Rhodey. “I have work to do, so…thanks. But…you know, work! And Pepper won’t like it if- yeah. Anyway… You….probably have better things to do anyway and I- yes. Well. I…”

“Do you _want_ me to go?”

 _I never want you to leave me, Rhodey._ “I…yes.”

“Alright.” The colonel said, “I will order take away and come fetch you in a couple of hours. Sounds good?” Tony gave a nod but did not answer, the colonel left the workshop.

A couple of hours later, Rhodey went down to look for Tony but instead of a decaffeinated human, he found a tiger sprawled in the middle of the workshop, whining and panting in pain, it’s big paws tucked close to its body.

“Tony?” The tiger snarled in reply and Rhodey took a step back and began to shift. The big bear approached the tiger and pawed gently at it, the tiger did not take kindly to that and snapped his jaw in warning. The bear huffed and pressed his nose to the tiger’s side, gently pushing him until he was lying on his side. Rhodes then proceeded to plop down next to the other shifter, their noses close but not touching, and he closed his eyes slowly, in the way feline shifters did to show trust. Tony allowed his eyes to close and gently bumped his nose against Rhodey’s. They fell asleep like that.

Rhodes woke curled around a _very_ human Tony Stark. The engineer was compact but he was positively tiny compared to Rhodes in his shifter body and the colonel felt a wave of protectiveness wash over him as he took in Tony’s sleeping form. They stayed like that, curled together until the whirring of Dum-E woke them up a few hours later. At some point, Rhodey had rolled onto his back, pulling Tony on top of him; the engineer snuggled closer and the bear sighed in contentment.

“So…” Tony said, one hand tracing circles on Rhodey’s fur. “I guess you want to know what that was about…” The bear lifted his head and licked at Tony’s hair in answer. “I was just… I was lonely.” A pained whine broke free from the bear’s chest and Tony hugged him with all his strength. “Listen, Rhodey…you….you have the army and your job and you are always…so far away and- and not that I don’t support you, because I do! I do! I support you! I love that you love your job and that you’re happy and-but- I mean- I know you don’t- that you’re not- _Why_ is this so _hard_ , damn it!” Tony was still holding onto the bear with all his strength when it began to roll back into a sitting position, with Tony’s head tucked under its powerful jaw. “ _Please_ , please don’t shift back yet…I can’t…I won’t be able to say it if…” Rhodes huffed but didn’t shift. “Damn it, Rhodey… I love you so much, you have no idea. I _love_ you and knowing that you don’t love me like I love you is killing me! Every time you come visit I…I want to ask you to stay despite all the reasons you have to go and- And it’s not fair but _I love you._ ” Rhodey had begun to shift back and was now in his human form, cradling Tony close like he was precious and fragile. Tony was crying now, shaking and sobbing.

Rhodey began rocking them back and forth and humming a lullaby. Finally, after hours of crying, Tony ran out of tears.

“Tony?” Rhodey’s voice was soft. “Will you look at me?” With his face still pressed firmly against the other’s chest, Tony shook his head and whispered a faint ‘no.’ Rhodey hummed and rubbed circles on the engineer’s back, patiently waiting for him to lift his head. Eventually, Tony did look up. “There you are…” Rhodes smiled at Tony and rubbed their noses together, which brought a smile to Tony’s tear-streaked face. “Am I allowed to say something?” Tony gave a small nod but looked down.

Carefully, gently, Rhodes brought a hand to Tony’s cheek and tilted his head up. “I love you too.”

Rhodey leant in to kiss him and Tony’s smile was bright enough to rival the Sun.


End file.
